Diversity

Black Lives Don’t Matter

(Regarding the USA’s Only Black-Owned Private Overnight Summer Camp) Dear Governor Pritzker: Don’t tell me Black lives matter. Don’t tell me Black lives matter when the only black-owned private residential camp in the U.S. is precluded from operating, maybe permanently. Don’t talk emptily of how “Black lives matter”; instead, actually facilitate my black life. Don’t tell me Black lives matter when you ban our multicultural summer camp—depriving children of an empowering experience, especially when they so badly needed the social interaction. Don’t tell me Black lives matter when you deprive […]

Some Ways to Become Antiracist

Especially lately, the importance of seeking a solution to the racial issues polarizing this country is underscored. A fantastic tool towards this goal is contained in: “How to Be an Antiracist” (One World, 2019) by Ibram X. Kendi. “Not racist” isn’t good enough. People need to recognize and confront their own racist thoughts (as the author describes his own ongoing journey of becoming an Antiracist. Check out our summary below. Some definitions include: Racist: One who is supporting a racist policy through their actions or inaction or expressing a racist […]

5 Tips on How to Raise Socially Aware Children

Social awareness is one of the focal points at Camp Kupugani, our Midwest overnight residential summer camp with girls-only, boys-only, and blended sessions near Madison, Wisconsin (and also not far from Chicago, Illinois). A recent article put forth some good tips on how to raise socially aware children. See below for some quick takeaways, with the full article here. Socially Aware Tips Address privilege early Speak with your children about differences (don’t pretend to be “color-blind”) Address the challenges that can arise from these differences Make sure that their toys, […]

Takeaways from Stamped from the Beginning

Kevin Gordon, Director of Camp Kupugani in Leaf River, IL–located two hours west of Chicago–recently read Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning (Nation Books, 2016). Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand racism in the United States. In shedding much-needed light on the murky history of racist ideas, this book offers tools we need to expose them—and in the process, gives us reason to hope. Check out the book here. See below for some excerpts. What is racism? Racism is…any concept that regards one racial group as inferior […]

Camp Shines as a Beacon of Social Progress

LEAF RIVER, IL – Acts of hate and racism, whether online or in person, are painfully visible these days,” said Phillip Martin, a senior investigative reporter at WGBH, a contributing reporter to PRI’s “The World.” The US Department of Justice has noted a sharp increase in hate crimes. One summer camp has a proactive approach to celebrating and appreciating diversity. This summer, Camp Kupugani, a multicultural camp for children ages 7 to 15, celebrates its thirteenth summer of creating positive change by empowering campers in an intentionally diverse environment to […]

The American Experience Varies

We are Camp Kupugani–an overnight summer camp 90 minutes west of Chicago. We are in the United States of America, a nation which purports to have equal opportunity for all. Camp Owner/Director Kevin is a brown man. Camp admin Aaron is white (beige-ish really). Their American experience varies. What Aaron can do that Kevin cannot: Without realistic fear of being shot, Aaron can reach into the glove compartment if pulled over by police during a car stop. Aaron can go into any store without the perception or reality of being […]

How We Celebrate & Appreciate Identity

At Camp Kupugani, our Midwest summer camp not far from Madison, Wisconsin (and also convenient to Chicago, Illinois), we strive to help campers celebrate and appreciate themselves and others in all aspects of identity. We intentionally move beyond “clumping” (hanging out only with those who we perceived to be exactly like us) to interact with a variety of people in our cabins, teams, tables, and camp activities. Research shows that early exposure to people that are different than you helps you to become more understanding/welcoming as an adult. We pride […]

Why I No Longer Use the Words “Diversity” or “Diverse”

When we started our multicultural summer camp for kids twelve summers ago, we celebrated the word “diversity”. It was all over our web site and elevator speeches. I bragged about how we were “diverse” and reveled in our “diversity.” That was then. Now, the word “diversity” has a host of non-positive connotations. It has become a negative code word signifier for non-white male. There are now negative implications of using the word. Instead of the narrow, now-negative term of “diversity,” we should strive for “equity.” Perhaps, as we continue to […]

Brown Man Thanks Monroe Police

Dear Monroe Police Department (okay…maybe just two specific members of the Monroe PD…but that takes a lot more words than I feel like right now…) Dear Monroe PD…I really must say thanks. Thanks for reinforcing for me how much my son loves me. Thanks for reminding me how much I trust and value my wife and my life. Thanks for reinforcing for me that my choice of profession–as a director of a summer camp where we intentionally bring together children of varied backgrounds–is an especially important one. Thanks so much […]

Dare to Embrace Difference

I hope that you are well, or as well as you can be during these tumultuous times. Depending on your worldview, you might be considering what to do in response to the what you see in the larger world—to defend rights, to counter hateful rhetoric, to rebuild movements and momentum for positive change. I ask that you support Kupugani and our mission to continue to create a version of the world that we want to see—where issues of difference can be celebrated, and our commonalities can be recognized and appreciated. […]

Are You Culturally Competent? Do You Want to Be?

Given the historic levels of what some have deemed a “cultural crisis” in this nation, perhaps now’s as good a time as any to challenge yourself with our cultural competence quiz. Are you culturally competent? (Do you want to be?) Are You Culturally Competent? Find Out Here

Are You Culturally Competent? Find Out Here

Especially in today’s social climate, it is increasingly important to be mindful and respectful of people of a variety of backgrounds. It can be all too easy to demonize and denigrate someone who you classify as “other”. If you think you’ve got what it takes, check out our fun, informative quiz to see if you are culturally competent. Keep Up to Date Have access to incredible articles and keep up to date with all Camp Kupugani life here!